County Schools Plans To Add Assistant Principal For New Ooltewah Elementary

Saturday, December 15, 2012

County School Supt. Rick Smith is requesting that the School Board approve two new school-based positions beginning in January of 2013, and one new school-based position beginning in August of 2013, based on the following information:

· Ooltewah Elementary School has a current enrollment of 520 students, but will open in the fall of 2013 with a projected student count of at least 750 – thus qualifying for an assistant principal.

We are asking to add this administrator beginning in January of 2013 to assist with the necessary planning for and transition to the new building.

· East Lake Elementary School currently has 27 students in each of three 5th grade classes. Adding a fourth teacher for the 5th grade would lower the pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) to 20.25 students per class.

· The new Red Bank Middle School, opening in August of 2013, includes a state-of-the-art Technology Education laboratory. Unfortunately, funding for the Tech Ed teacher at RBMS was cut as part of a reduction in force prior to the 2010-11 school year. We are asking for the reinstatement of this teaching position, beginning in August of 2013.

Each of the positions requested above will be funded through the General Purpose account, he stated.

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Retired Teachers Association (CHCRTA) on Tuesday announced that applications are open for 2018. The scholarship program is made possible through generous donations from members to support the future of education. Ms. Sharon Vandagriff, president of CHCRTA said, “Providing scholarships for future teachers is one of the most important things ... (click for more)

Cleveland State student Jackson Taylor thought he had it all figured out after he finished Towns County High School in Georgia. The Georgia native planned to go to the University of Georgia on a baseball scholarship and major in engineering, but after hearing about CSCC, he weighed both options and decided on the smaller school in Tennessee. Mr. Taylor had also planned ... (click for more)

The County Commission has approved a sizable pay raise for its four magistrates, taking them from the current $66,000 per year to $92,000 by 2021. The raises will take effect beginning with new terms for magistrates. Two of the current magistrates are up for re-appointment in May. Their pay level will become $80,000. It will rise by $4,000 per year until reaching the $92,000. ... (click for more)

Sandra and I are saddened this morning after learning of the death of Billy Graham. We rejoice today, because Mr. Graham once said "It will be reported that Billy Graham has died, but that won't be the truth. He said the truth is that he had only moved to a new location". I remember when we named 15th Street as Billy Graham Avenue, his daughter Gigi came for the dedication ... (click for more)

On the morning after the mass shooting in Florida last week, a 17-year-old at Ledyard High School in Connecticut made an offhand comment during his first period class, “I could buy an AR-15.” At that, all the teachers panicked. Really. The school was soon so rattled by the comment the principal called the cops. And those five words got the child shackled, taken into custody, and ... (click for more)